White Ferns beaten in opening match

The White Ferns have lost their opening match of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 match by seven wickets against the West Indies at Galle International Stadium in Sri Lanka.

Chasing 118 for victory, the West Indies completed their pursuit with 12 balls in hand, largely thanks to a third wicket partnership of 82 between Stefanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin.

Signs were good at the beginning of the White Ferns defence of their total, with Erin Bermingham picking up two wickets in her first over.

Both Tremayne Smart and Shanel Daley were dismissed for ducks and the West Indies were five for two after two overs.

That brought Dottin to the crease to join Taylor and it didn’t take long for the two of them to pick up the run-rate. Dottin showed why she is the only women to have scored a century in Twenty20 cricket, finding the boundary regularly.

Just as the game was beginning to look out of reach for the White Ferns, they finally made the break through. Sophie Devine trapped Taylor leg-before-wicket for 34 on her first delivery in the 13th over.

The West Indies run-rate slowed with the arrival of their captain Merissa Aguilleira, but the collapse that the White Ferns required didn’t ensue.

Dottin saw the match out with an unbeaten 58 off 42 deliveries, while Aguilleira finished unbeaten on 10.

Bermingham had the best of the bowling figures for her side, picking up two wickets during her spell of four overs for 18 runs.

Earlier, the White Ferns had lost the toss and been put into bat by the West Indies. Captain Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite got their side off to a solid start, putting 37 on for the opening wicket.

Satterthwaite (15) was the first to go when she was caught and bowled by Taylor after 4.5 overs. She was replaced by Sophie Devine, who alongside Bates continued to steadily accumulate runs to the White Ferns total and had their side sitting at 63 for one in the tenth over.

With a platform set the White Ferns had a chance to push the run-rate up, but their progress was hindered by the loss of regular wickets.

Mackay (2), Sara McGlashan (8) and Nicola Browne (9) all went within the space of three overs and with just under seven overs remaining the White Ferns were 85 for five.

Having recently been ranked fourth in the Women’s World Twenty20 All-rounder Rankings, Bates ensured the White Ferns would have a competitive total to defend with a knock of 32 off 34 balls.

Wicketkeeper Katie Martin added another ten runs in the late stages of the innings and after twenty overs the White Ferns finished with a total of 117 for nine.

Three West Indies bowlers picked up two wickets each, while the White Ferns were hurt by run outs to two of their top five batsmen.

The New Zealand side will play their next match against South Africa on Friday.